A roadmap for accounting researchers: the ‘how to’ of successful international collaboration

International research collaboration has been advocated by universities globally. While international collaborations offer remarkable opportunities for advancing knowledge, they also present unique challenges. Navigating the turbulent waters of international collaboration can be an overwhelming area, with many researchers being faced with the challenge of how to start. In this editorial, we draw upon our collective experience of over 25 years of individual and institutional international research collaborations, establishing partnerships, mentoring others and reviewing the available literature to date. We provide in-depth reflections and offer practical suggestions on the basics, processes, and the many ‘how to’ aspects of international accounting research collaboration that are so often taken for granted. This paper is structured as a roadmap of ‘how to’, suggesting 25 focus areas that are worth considering when designing, planning, implementing, and reflecting on your international research collaboration. Our roadmap offers novice researchers, early-career researchers, those ‘new in academia’, or researchers who are new in collaboration at the international level timely, actionable insights into navigating the complexities of international collaborations. This paper also provides additional food for thought for experienced researchers, enabling the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences.